This is New (For Both of Us)
by popculturecray
Summary: It's different now. That they are together. But a good different, a really really good different. Takes place at the beginning of Season 3. Start of established relationship. Requested by Anonymous
1. i enjoy this?

It's different now. That they are together. But a good different, a really really good different. Sure, the sex is great. It always is. And even though they have it steadily, it doesn't define this relationship. And Nick doesn't really understand why.

He finally realizes it when their watching a movie together. Jess is curled to his side, their finished bowls of ice cream scattered on the coffee table. This is so domestic, which should really send him packing, yet he can't figure out anywhere else he would rather be.

He's never been in a real relationship with a woman.

He's surprised by this statement, because before he would have said a high school girlfriend, or even Caroline. But he has never been in a relationship that has made him as happy as he is now. And it's not even based on sex.

He realizes halfway through the movie that she has fallen asleep on his shoulder. The television screen reflects off her face. He honestly has no idea what is going on in the movie. He quickly turns it off and lightly pokes at her shoulder.

"Jess, wake up."

Her huge blue eyes slowly comes to view and she looks at him. He smiles, because that is becoming a regular occurance with him, whenever he sees her.

"We should go to bed."

She nods quickly, and he stands up, helping her up. Nick keeps a hold of her hand as he leads her to his room. That's another thing about this relationship.

They are not going to have sex tonight.

Jess is going to go to her room, change into her polka-dotted pajamas. Then, she'll come back and slip into his bed, where Nick, having just changed into his clean boxors, (because being with Jess has changed him in more ways than one), and he slides in next to her.

Then, they will fall asleep on opposite sides of bed, but drift together in their sleep. And the thought of it, of the whole routine of it, makes him grin.

Because his whole life, Nick has believed that settling down, or any kind of routine whatsoever is absolute hell. And it's not. It's actually kind of awesome. Because he doesn't have to worry about going out, and making small talk with a girl that he has no future with after the morning.

Now, he gets to fall asleep next to a woman, who makes him laugh and furious, usually at the same time. A woman who is equal parts adorable and sexy, who makes him see the good in himself, and if that is too cheesy, he really doesn't care.

And as Nick slides his arms through hers, and pulls her to him, slipping a kiss on her soft neck, he realizes all he really needed was the right woman. He just never figured she would be right under his nose. 


	2. only got eyes for you

Naturally, they run into exes. Because California is not big enough for each person Jess or Nick has slept with.

First, it's Russell. Which is fine, because both him and Jess have moved on, and Nick has almost gotten over his man crush. They find their way back to each other, barely, but still. Nick just hopes that coincidences like these never happen again.

But it does, because the universe has never really been nice to either one of them.

He sees Spencer at a organic grocery store she made him go to. Nick notices him before her, and he really does his best to get the hell out of there before there is a Russell 2.0 situation. While trying to get Jess to decide on which grape juice is better for the throat, he realizes he is sweating, which is ridiculous, he should not be jealous. But she was with Spencer for a long time, and it is really intimidating.

Jess finally notices him while Nick is having this internal battle, her eyes become even bigger, if that is possible, and she quickly puts both juices away. She actually covers up her surprise pretty good. She intertwines their hands and starts walking toward Spencer, but then abruptly stops. She looks up at Nick, and he does his best turtle face, and she laughs, the full bellied one that always makes him feel something in his stomach.

She pulls him to the exit, instead, their hands still intertwined. Nick looks back to see Spencer looking at them, their hands, their body language, putting two and two together. Nick quickly looks back at Jess, who is smiling at him. He stops her when they are outside, keeps a hold of her hands and kisses her quickly. She laughs again, apologizes for the awkward scene back there.

"I felt bad for wanting to show you off." She says casually. He looks at her incredulousy, because he isn't exactly used to being shown off to exes. Usually they ask him to hide under the table.

"That's not what I though you were doing." He says truthfully. She looks at him for a second, then grabs his hand and walks to the car.

"Believe it or not, but I've never been happier with someone as I am with you." She says as they are getting in the car, casually again, like it just slips of his tongue. Once again, it should scare him how much that statement is true, for him as well, but all he feels is relief, that she feels that way about him, and not some loser who doesn't appreciate her.

He kisses her once more before he turns on the car and drives away. Who was he kidding? He hates organic stuff. Even Jess can't change that.

Caroline is the worst, though.

Not because this relationship meant the most tp Nick, or because he totally left her on moving day, with any real explanation other than 'it doesn't feel right'.

No it's because, Caroline doesn't initally believe Nick when he tells her he is in a relationship with that girl from the wedding that he pretend dated for that occasion, and who also is his roommate.

It doesn't help that it actually is a wedding they meet at. It would be serious case of deja vu, if Nick wasn't actually in a relationship with Jess, and they weren't actually happy, because they really really are.

So when he finds Jess, on the verge of tears, in a photobooth of all places, he can't say it surprises him. But he also knows, that the same thing that happened at the last wedding they went to, won't happen here. He slides in next to her, apologizes profusely, holds her hand, does everything he can to make everything right again.

"I don't want her. You said yourself, I've never been happier with someone, as I am with you. Jess, I'm so so sorry." She looks up at him then, sniffling, and with her beautiful blue eyes muddled with tears. She shakes her head.

"I'm being ridiculous, you didn't do anything." She leans her head on his shoulder, wipes her tears on his sleeve.

"It's ok, I don't mind. We've all been a little jealous here and there." They both laugh. "But Jess, you should know that I never want to go back to how things were before you. Know why?"

She rests her chin on his shoulder, still sniffling.

"Why?"

He sighs, brushing the tears off her poreclean cheeks.

"Because I love you." 


End file.
